Campaign to tackle domestic abuse

The festive campaign is supported by a TV advert, running on STV from Monday 23 December to 5 Jan.

The campaign will specifically target those suspected of domestic abuse, after the first year of Police Scotland saw an 81% increase in reports of domestic rape across the country and a national increase in the reporting of domestic stalking offences by more than half.

Chief Constable Sir Stephen House said: “No-one should underestimate the scale of this issue. More than 20% of all police operational time is spent dealing with domestic incidents.

“On average, a domestic incident is reported somewhere in Scotland every nine minutes which means that what I expect and what I get from our police officers who attend these incidents is an understanding that domestic abuse is a high priority for them.

“The significant increase in the numbers of people coming forward to report these crimes is encouraging as it shows more and more are confident in the support they will receive but I believe these figures will be the tip of the iceberg.

“Over the Christmas period we will be running a festive campaign specifically targeted at those who commit these crimes. Many victims are especially vulnerable, often isolated and frequently in danger over the festive period. Abuse can escalate with victims suffering repeatedly at the hands of a partner or ex-partner.

“Our Festive campaign will start the week before Christmas and we will have extra police officers on the streets across Scotland. It will have a direct focus on preventing abuse and sending a clear message that there is no hiding place – if you do it, we will find you.”

To contact the police for non-emergencies and general enquiries call 101. In an emergency call 999. If you have information about a crime you can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.